In a letter sent Monday to the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration, the Jones River Watershed Association argued that federal agencies have not consulted with each other on the effects of the nuclear plant's operations on North Atlantic right whales, river herring and several other species, as required by law, and that a biological assessment of the plant's impacts was inadequate.
While the Kingston environmental group is not anti-nuclear per se, members have concerns about the effects of the plant drawing more than 500 million gallons of water each day from Cape Cod Bay for cooling, said Margaret Sheehan, an attorney who volunteers for the group.
The 40-year-old plant's license expires June 8. Entergy Nuclear, which owns it, is seeking to extend the license for an additional 20 years.
Concerns over the effect of Pilgrim's operations on the environment are not new. The possible listing of river herring as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, however, makes for a potential showdown akin to what occurred between environmentalists and logging companies in the Northwest over the listing of the northern spotted owl.
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